A LONG WAY GONE

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS / ESSAY PROMPTS

The following are suggestions for class activities for Psychology 101 (although it can be applied to other courses as well.) For each activity the relevant pages from A Long Way Gone are listed

followed by the course content to which the prompts apply.

PRE-READ EXERCISE:

Begin the semester with the following activity:

Provide students with a few minutes to respond to the following prompt by writing a paragraph or two in class:

Describe your life when you were age 12, 13, or 14. Include where you lived, went to school, activities, lifestyle, relationships, etc.

Provide students a few minutes to complete a “pair / share” activity (have them pair up and share their writing.) Then lead a class discussion of this content. Finally, recommend that students keep this info available as they read A Long Way Gone.

NOTE: This could become a longer exercise in that the students could be assigned to interview their parents and other family members for a broader description of the students’ lifestyles at that age. This could also be a multi-media project and students could show the video/photos of this time their lives. The movie Blood Diamond depicts this historical period of Sierra Leone and the process of creating a child soldier. Those parts of the movie could be shown as a point of contrast and a visual illustration of what Mr. Beah describes. It would be important to inform the class of the level of violence contained in the movie if it is going to be used.

SEMESTER-LONG ACTIVITIES FOR THOSE USING THE ENTIRE BOOK:

PSYC 101: Emotions and Social Psychology: Have students maintain a written running log of the number of times and under which circumstances Mr. Beah uses the word “fear” or similar words. Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine) discusses a “Culture of Fear”. Have the students investigate what is meant by a “culture of fear” and the manner in which it is created. What occurs to create a culture of fear in Sierra Leone? Compare this to what would be “cool” about war (see below.) Does a culture of fear exist in the United States? How is it created?

PSYC 101: Diathesis-Stress Theory and Biological Foundations of Behaviour: Have students read the articles “Getting Inside a Teen Brain” and “The Anatomy of Violence” (see the links below.) Also included are links to three articles from the Child Trauma Academy (http://www.childtrauma.org/)-“How Childhood Trauma Influences Brain Development”, “Altered Brain Development Following Global Neglect”, and “The Neuroarchaeology of

Childhood Maltreatment”- that contain additional detail regarding the impact of neglect and trauma on the child’s neurodevelopment. These articles are also worth assigning.

How would this information apply to child soldiers? What are the implications for rehabilitation?

http://www.newsweek.com/id/82963

http://www.newsweek.com/id/35257

http://www.childtrauma.org/CTAMATERIALS/neuros~1.asp

http://www.childtrauma.org/ctamaterials/trau_CAMI.asp

http://www.childtrauma.org/ctamaterials/Neuroarcheology.asp

PSYC 101: Abnormal Psychology: Have students research the definition and diagnostic criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revised (DSM IV TR) would be a definitive source. Another useful source is “PTSD 101”:

(http://dartcenter.org/content/ptsd-101-0)

Students are to keep a keep a log of the signs and symptoms of PTSD that Mr. Beah is describing and the impact these have on Mr. Beah’s relationships and life.

Also, have students investigate what is being called “Post Traumatic Growth”. Have students describe this. In what way could Post Traumatic Growth factor in Mr. Beah’s story?

PSYC 101: Human Development and Social Psychology: Have students keep of record of the number of times Mr. Beah’s “family” changes and the various forms in which it takes. What impact does this degree of instablility have on the psycho-emotional development of a child? What interventions allow Mr. Beah to overcome these challenges? What does research conclude about family constellation and the psycho-emotional development of children?

NEW YORK CITY, 1998

*PSYC 101:

Have the class speculate: What is the typical American high school student’s experience with war? What would be “cool” about that?

*Have the class speculate: For what reasons would Mr. Beah be hesitant to share his experiences?

PSYC 101: Learning: This content provides an opportunity to discuss “Observational Learning” and “Social Learning Theory”. Have the students read and react to the American Psychological Association’s report:

http://www.apa.org/releases/media_violence.html

PSYC 101: Sensation & Perception

Have the class define “Perception” How is the perception of war (gained through popular culture such as movies and video games) different from the reality of war?

CHAPTER ONE

*PSYC 101: Pages 9-15: Abnormal Psychology:

Have students investigate the meaning, use, and purpose of the psychological defense mechanism of denial. In addition, have students investigate Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’ “Stages of Grief” (On Death and Dying.) Have students write a definition of denial and a description of the stages of grief. (NOTE: have the students keep their information regarding grief-this topic will return in later chapters):

Which of Kubler-Ross’ stages explain the thoughts of Mr. Beah and the behaviour of those who lost children?

What is Mr. Beah beginning to grieve?

What does seeing the blood do to Mr. Beah’s state of denial?

For what reason is it difficult for Mr. Beah to “…decide whether what I had seen was real.”? What would it mean to his sense of the world? From a Developmental standpoint, is Mr. Beah able to cognitively process these changes and their meaning (remember his age)?

*PSYC 101: Page 15: States of Consciousness:

Mr. Beah briefly discusses his dream. How would the different theories about dreams explain this?

*PSYC 101: Page 15: Abnormal Psychology:

How does denial work as a coping mechanism?

*PSYC 101: Pages 9-13: Emotions, Social Psychology, and Learning:

Mr. Beah writes “It was the first time I had seen a grown man cry like a child, and I felt a sting in my heart.”

What does this say about the manner in which males deal with emotions in Sierra Leone? Is this an asset or a liability?

How does this compare to the manner in which males learn to deal with emotions in the United States?

CHAPTER TWO

*PSYC 101: Pages 18-20: States of Consciousness, Abnormal Psychology, & Memory:

Have students research the signs and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)-two resources are mentioned above. What are the signs and symptoms Mr. Beah is describing?

What impact does the loss of sleep have on one’s quality of life (specify from the material in the text)? Which Anxiety Disorder might someone be mistakenly diagnosed if only the sleep disturbance is discussed? What is the typical treatment protocol for a sleep disorder? Would the treatment of a sleep disorder alleviate the PTSD? What would be a more appropriate therapeutic response (how is PTSD treated)?

How does learning to cope with factor into the treatment of PTSD?

The Psychology text describes the “Stages of Memory” theory. What type of memory is Mr. Beah describing in these pages? Justify your choice.

CHAPTER THREE

*PSYC 101: Pages 22-25: Biological Foundations of Behaviour:

Identify and describe which component of the villagers’ nervous system was active while they were cooking. Which component of the nervous system became active when the RUF attacked? For what reasons did this change occur? On a physiological level, what happened to the villagers’ bodies when this attack occurred? Which neurotransmitter system predominates in this condition? What is this survival mechanism called?

*PSYC 101: Page 24: Learning:

Have students research the use of “human shields” to identify for how long and in what other areas of the world (in addition to Sierra Leone) human shields have been used. What is the purpose of using human shields? Apply the term “Learned Helplessness” to this practice.

*PSYC: Pages 23 & 24: Social Psychology

The rebels attack the village. What type of leadership is demonstrated on the part of the villagers? What is the outcome of such leadership? What type of leadership might have been more effective?

CHAPTER FOUR

*PSYC 101: Pages 22-26: Psychological Theories:

Have the class research Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. How does Maslow define a “need”? What is the interaction between needs and behaviour according to Maslow? According to Maslow’s theory, for what needs would the boy hold onto the “bag of things” even though he was being shot at? For what needs did the boys walk to Mattru Jong and back? What needs were met by the boys stealing?

CHAPTER FIVE

*PSYC 101: Pages 30-31: Course content as above for Chapter Four:

These pages also apply to the above activities.

*PSYC 101: Page 36: Abnormal Psychology:

What symptoms of PTSD would explain the boys’ behaviour?

CHAPTER 6

*PSYC 101: Page 37: Social Psychology:

What did a group of young males come to mean to the citizens of Sierra Leone? What was the impact on the social interaction of Sierra Leone? What is the impact on adolescent males (see page 202)? How does the term stereotype apply?

CHAPTER SEVEN

*PSYC 101: Pages 45 & 46: Psychology Theories:

Mr. Beah writes: “I started to cry. I didn’t know why.” What is Mr. Beah experiencing? Refer back to page 12 and the incident where Mr. Beah witnesses a man crying for the first time. How does Social Learning Theory apply here?

CHAPTER EIGHT

*PSYC 101: Pages 49-53: Memory & Abnormal Psychology

What type of Memories is Mr. Beah describing?

What symptoms of PTSD is Mr. Beah describing? What is done to cope?

Research what is meant by a “Photographic Memory”. Is having such a memory an asset or a liability to Mr. Beah?

*PSYC 101: Pages 41-53: Memory, Learning, States of Consciousness, Social Psychology (This passage also speaks to the culture of Sierra Leone and, by extension, the United States):

What is Grandfather’s answer to help learning? Research which drugs, especially those used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy (and are thus being used “off-label” and referred to as “neuroenhancers” and “cosmetic neurology”) are being taken to improve academic performance:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/04/27/090427fa_fact_talbot

What are the consequences, side effects, psychological/physical dependency-potential, ethical concerns, etc. of using such drugs (These must be emphasized)? How does this compare to the usage of performance enhancing substances in athletics? What does use of such substances say about the culture of the society in which they are used?

*PSYC 101: Page 54: Social Learning Theory:

Read the last paragraph on Page 54. Have students research the impact of isolation on children and compare that to Mr. Beah’s situation. (NOTE: Mr. Beah is older and had not been raised in isolation, so the comparison is not quite accurate. However, the point is to have students think about the circumstances under which Mr. Beah is living and the impact of such on his cognitive and emotional development.) See also page 184.

*PSYC: Pages 55-57: Learning:

Mr. Beah writes “…we had become monsters.” What type(s) of learning would have made this behavioural change occur? Apply concepts from the text in support of the answer.

CHAPTER NINE

*PSYC: Pages 58-68: Developmental Psychology:

How old are the boys at this point in the book? From a human development standpoint, what has the war done to their psychological development? Their behaviour? What do the ocean and the peace of that area of Sierra Leone allow them to become and why? For what reasons are recordings of the ocean used in meditation tapes?

*PSYC 101: Pages 60-62: Learning & Social Psychology:

The boys are made to run on the hot sand without shoes. What label would be applied to this behaviour if it were to occur in the United States? For what reasons did the villagers do this? Does this justify the behaviour?

CHAPTER TEN

*PSYC 101: Pages 75-77: Social Psychology & Developmental Psychology:

Mr. Beah describes how he came to have his name and the ceremony in which it was given. Have students find out for what reasons they have been named as they have. If they could choose, which name would be preferred and for what reasons? Have students describe the naming ceremony is which the name was given. Share these with the class.

*PSYC 101: Pages 78-88: Biological Foundations of Behaviour, Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology

The story of Saidu’s family is told and Mr. Beah includes a quote from Saidu regarding his feelings. Saidu is later found dead and the boys do not know the cause. Have the class research “Broken Heart Syndrome”-below are two sources-and describe how that may apply.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/09/health/main672774.shtml

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/6/539

Page 86: Mr. Beah writes “…all of us were now thirteen, except for Kanei, who was three years older-and our emotions were in disarray. I couldn’t comprehend what or how I felt.” Explain why Mr. Beah could not comprehend his feelings from a cognitive-development perspective.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

*PSYC 101: Pages 89-99: Abnormal Psychology:

Research the definition and DSM-IV TR description of “bereavement”. How does this information apply to the boys with regard to the death of Saidu? What do they do to cope with their feelings?

What happens to Mr. Beah’s family and how does he respond? How do the boys respond? Research “Displaced Aggression” and also return to the previous information gathered about Kubler-Ross’ Stages of Grief. How does this information apply to this situation?

*PSYC 101: Pages 96-97 (refer back to pages 14 & 21 also): Social Psychology & Abnormal Psychology:

Research the history of the formation and purpose of the RUF (Page 222 contains a brief description.) Research the history and purpose of terrorism. Is the behaviour described in these pages consistent with a group that is to be fighting for the people against a corrupt government? Why or why not? What impact do such tactics have on the civilian population?

CHAPTER TWELVE

*PSYC 101: Page 100: Sensation and Perception:

Read the opening paragraph on this page. Remember that Mr. Beah and his companions are thirteen years old. One of the soldiers tells him “You will get used to it, everybody does eventually.”

Have students research and define “systematic desensitization”, “sensory adaptation”, and “psychic numbing”. How do these processes apply to the “getting used to it”? How do they contribute to the development of PTSD?

*PSYC 101: Pages 101-103: Abnormal Psychology

Which symptoms of PTSD is Mr. Beah describing?

For what reasons do you think that the “sergeant doctor” “…never asked if anyone was having nightmares or migraines.”? What is done to treat those symptoms?

*PSYC 101: Pages 106-108: Motivation

Have students define “motivation”. What does the lieutenant use to motivate the children to fight? How does this relate to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (see the activities for Chapter Four above)? What is used to motivate individuals to join the armed forces in the United States?

*PSYC 101: Page 107: Biological Basis of Behaviour:

Mr. Beah writes that he had lost his appetite due to fear. Which part of the brain processes the emotion of fear? Which subdivision of the nervous system is active when one is experiencing fear? What is the impact on homeostasis when this system is regulating the body?

*PSYC 101: Pages 108-109: Social Psychology & Developmental Psychology:

Research the terms “in-groups” and “out-groups” How are the rebels (the RUF) described? Are they considered to be an in-group or an out-group?

Have students research what is meant by a “personal identity kit”. Now that Mr. Beah is a soldier, what is his identity kit?

How does the burning of the cassettes serve as a metaphor for Mr. Beah’s life to this point?

*PSYC 101: Page 112: Human Development:

Sheku is seven years old. Josiah is eleven years old. How tall and what is the body weight of a healthy seven-year-old and an eleven-year-old (remember also that the child soldiers have not been fed well)? How long is an AK-47 and what does it weigh? What does a magazine full of

ammunition for an AK-47 weigh? What is the total weight of the rifle and four full magazines? To provide some perspective, have students determine the proportionate weight for a 180-pound adult. What is the likelihood that Sheku and Josiah will have a “high stool” upon which to balance the weapon when in combat? NOTE: For additional information, read page 116.

*PSYC 101: Page 112 & 113: Biological Foundations of Behaviour, Human Development, and Learning:

The children are being trained as soldiers. They practice how to use bayonets and hear the same statement again and again (“Visualize your enemy…”)

Have the students define “mantra”. Further, have students research “myelin” and its role in human behaviour. What impact does the repetition of behaviour and verbal instruction (the mantra) have on myelin? For what reasons are these activities particularly effective for children?

What impact does this behaviour have on the developing brains of child soldiers? NOTE: The article “Getting Inside a Teen Brain” is a useful read with regard to the neural development of adolescents:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/82963/page/1

What impact does the on-going development of the teen brain have with regard to the “get used to it” statement from page 100?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

*PSYC 101: Page 115: Biological Basis of Behaviour and Sensation and Perception:

The child soldiers are preparing for their first battle and Mr. Beah writes that his “…hand began to shake and my heart beat faster.” What is the name for this response? What part of the nervous system governs this response?

Bottom of Page 117: Mr. Beah is describing his response to the battle. Have students research “tonic immobility” and relate it to Mr. Beah’s behaviour.

Page 118: Mr. Beah describes his response when Josiah is killed. Have students research “time distortion and stress” and relate that to Mr. Beah’s experience.

*PSYC 101: Pages 118-120: Abnormal Psychology:

What symptoms of PTSD is Mr. Beah describing? What are the precipitating factors?

*PSYC 101: Page 120: States of Consciousness:

Mr. Beah states “I stayed up all night and could not sleep for a week.” Have students speculate what type of drug was in the white capsule (see references below.)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

*PSYC 101: Pages 121-122: Observational Learning:

Have students rent and watch the three movies identified here: for what reasons would the child soldiers want to be like Rambo? For what reasons would the commanders allow them to watch these movies?

*PSYC 101: Page 121: Biological Basis of Behaviour and States of Consciousness:

To what pharmaceutical classification of drugs does cocaine belong? How does cocaine interact with the central nervous system to produce its effects? Does this explain Mr. Beah’s signs and symptoms as described here? What is the rationale for including gunpowder in the formula?

*PSYC 101: Pages 124-125: Learning

Have students research “Positive Reinforcement” and its impact on learning. What examples of positive reinforcement are described in this passage? Why is this behaviour especially reinforcing? See page 136 for another example.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

*PSYC 101: Pages 126-132: Social Psychology:

How has Mr. Beah’s definition of “family” changed from Chapter One? How has his culture changed? For what reasons would Mr. Beah be angry at these changes?

Pages 128-130: What is UNICEF? What does UNICEF represent to the child soldiers? For what reasons did Mr. Beah hide the bayonet and grenade in his pocket?

http://www.unicef.org/

*PSYC 101: Pages 133-135: Social Psychology:

Which in-groups and out-groups are as described here? What are the boundaries that separate them? How have the boys learned to interact with out-groups? What takes place (page 133) that allows the boys to change their assessment of each other? What risks did they take to reach this understanding? Have students define “stereotypes” and have them provide examples of stereotypes. What would it take to change those assessments?

Have students research the concept of a “geographic cure” as used by Alcoholics Anonymous. For what reason are geographic cures unsuccessful? How does socialization trump geography? Apply these concepts to the situation described on page 135.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

*PSYC 101: Pages 141-145: Learning

Have students research “resocialization” and “rehabilitation”. Identify examples of the application of resocialization/rehabilitation here. How does Mr. Beah’s identity kit change yet again? For what reasons would he be so angry (think Kubler-Ross’ Stages of Grief)?

This is important: How many times throughout this chapter is Mr. Beah told “It is not your fault”? Research the rehabilitation of child soldiers. Discuss the importance of separating the behaviour from the person in this process.

http://www.unicef.org/newsline/02pr04opprinter.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/childrensrights/childrenofconflict/soldier.shtml

http://www.unicef.org/media/media_14891.html

http://www.child-soldiers.org/home

The readings from Chapter Eighteen provide additional content.

*PSYC 101: Pages 146-147: Social Psychology:

Have students define “culture shock”. How does that term apply to what Mr. Beah is describing here? What examples of culture shock have the students experienced?

*PSYC 101: Pages 148-149: Abnormal Psychology:

What signs and symptoms of PTSD is Mr. Beah describing?

*PSYC 101: Page 148: Learning & Motivation:

Have students research “shaping” as a form of behaviour modification. How is that practice applied here? Why were those specific rewards chosen (motivation)? See pages 163-164 for another example.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

*PSYC 101: Page 153: Developmental Psychology:

For what reason do you think that Nurse Esther pressures Mr. Beah to say his real name? For what reasons does she give him the Walkman and tapes? How does this relate to Mr. Beah’s identity kit? In what other ways is Nurse Esther working to resocialize/ rehabilitate Mr. Beah in this chapter?

*PSYC 101: Pages 152-166: Abnormal Psychology & Motivation:

Have students research the treatment of PTSD and describe for what reasons “telling the story” is so important to the recovery process. How does the term “desensitization” apply to this process? For what reasons does Nurse Esther repeat the phrase “It is not your fault”? See pages 168-169 for more examples. What is used to encourage Mr. Beah to continue with therapy?

*PSYC 101: Page 165 & 166: Social Psychology

Nurse Esther again tells Mr. Beah “None of things are your fault.” He writes “…I began that day to believe it.” What is it that made him believe it? Research “Non-Verbal Communication” and find out the percentage of human communication that is conveyed via non-verbal methods. Under what type of non-verbal communication would “tone of voice” be categorized?

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

*PSYC 101: Page 169: Developmental Psychology:

Mr. Beah uses the word “resilience” with reference to children. Have students research this term and describe in what ways are children resilient.

Page 171: Mr. Beah uses the term “repatriated”. What does this mean? For what reasons is this process important?

Refer back to the activities for Chapter Sixteen above for additional material.

Page 175: Mr. Beah’s uncle says “Ah, you are still a boy, you have time to be a little more troublesome.” Is Mr. Beah still a boy? Why or why not? What is Mr. Beah grieving?

Throughout this chapter, Mr. Beah’s uncle refers to Mr. Beah again and again as “my son” and “a boy”. What is the reason for this consistency and repetition?

CHAPTER NINETEEN

PSYC 101: Page 179: Abnormal Psychology:

Have the students research “survivor guilt”. How might this apply to Mr. Beah? See also page 211.

Which stage of Kubler-Ross’ Stages of Grief might Mr. Beah be experiencing?

*PSYC 101: Page 179-180: Social Psychology:

What does a salute represent and for what reasons can Mr. Beah not salute Alhaji?

Page 181: Mr. Beah’s aunt prepares cassava leaves and chicken as the homecoming meal. What is the significance of this meal and what are the rituals with which it is eaten? Have students share how food is used in celebrations in their cultures.

*PSYC 101: Page 181: Abnormal Psychology:

Mr. Beah writes in relation to Nurse Esther “It must be tough living with so many war stories.” Have students research “Caregiver PTSD” and “Burn-Out” and discuss in class (NOTE: This is a very important topic for students going into helping professions.) What can be done to minimize Caregiver PTSD and Burn-Out?

Page 184: Mr. Beah describes a flashback. What is a “trigger” with regard to PTSD symptoms? See page 190 for another example.

*PSYC 101: Page 184: Social Psychology:

What is the Krio meaning of the word upline? What words are used in the United States to convey the same meaning? Have students research “Ethnocentrism” and apply it to upline.

*PSYC 101: Page 184 & 185: Abnormal Psychology:

For what reasons is Mr. Beah reluctant to tell Zainab about himself and Allie about the interview (See also the page “New York City, 1998”)? Have students research the words “shame” and “guilt” so that they can distinguish the difference between the emotions. How are they treated? Ernest Kurtz is one who has made a distinction between the two emotions and advocates a different treatment regimen for each:

http://hindsfoot.org/eksg.html

How might these feelings impact Mr. Beah’s relationships?

*PSYC 101: Page 186-187: Social Psychology:

Describe Mr. Beah’s experience with the elevator and relate it to the term “culture shock” (see pages 146, 147, and 193-195.)

Have students research the “Children Associated with War” program. Have them describe its origins, mission statement, and services.

http://www.daco-sl.org/encyclopedia/5_part/5_6caw.htm

CHAPTER TWENTY

*PSYC 101: Page 193: Learning:

Mr. Beah describes how he developed is conception of New York City. How did Mr. Beah “learn” that New York was as he imagined? Have students watch the local Baltimore news daily for several weeks and keep a record of the lead story. What impression would someone have of Baltimore if that is the only information s/he had about the city? Mr. Beah says of New York “It wasn’t as dangerous as I had heard it was.” (Page 194) What did it take for him to come to this conclusion? What would have happened to his view if he had visited other parts of the city?

Page 193-195: See the “culture shock” activities listed previously.

*PSYC 101: Page 199: Psychological Theories

Have students research Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Weber’s Dimensions of Stratification (NOTE: This is a cross-over to Sociology.) What needs of the children are met by becoming child soldiers? As per Weber’ analysis, what do children gain by becoming soldiers? What do they lose? What conditions around the world must change in order to prevent the recruitment of children to fight in war?

This rise in gang membership is an issue in the Baltimore area. Answer the above questions for gang membership.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

*PSYC 101: Page 202: Social Psychology:

How does Mr. Beah’s status as a child soldier impact his relationships?

*PSYC 101: Pages 202-204: Learning and Biological Foundations of Behaviour:

Have students define the word “coup” and do a search of the number of coups that have occurred in the 20th and 21st centuries. Refer back to Page 14 for Mr. Beah’s question about the representation provided by the RUF. For what reasons do humans appear to use violence to solve problems?

*PSYC 101: Pages 204-214: Emotions and Biological Foundations of Behaviour:

Count the number of times Mr. Beah uses the word “fear” (or synonyms) in these pages. For what reasons is this emotion dominant? What is he at risk of losing or does lose?

Describe how the body responds to fear from a neuro-anatomical viewpoint.

*PSYC 101: Pages 215: Emotions and Learning:

For what reasons is Mr. Beah angry? How does his handling of this situation differ from that described on pages 133-136? How do you explain this difference in coping skills? What does this say about the resilience of children and the rehabilitation process?

*PSYC 101: Pages 21-218: Social Psychology and Human Development:

What does Mr. Beah’s answer to the parable say about his values? What does it say about the cognitive development of someone this age? How has he acted on these values during his on-going rehabilitation?